Stuff less than $1k is not junk, but it is not very good either. It all depends on what you want to do with it. I feel fortunate to have shot the current generation high dollar NV and Thermal optics that are in the $30K plus range. I've even hung out on the timer admiring the sight picture at times. I've also used the $3-$5K range and the under $1K range stuff as well. At the CTC match, I got to CRO the stage with a CCR rifle with a top of the line NV optic and I spent a good deal of time looking through it. Cases of ammo and magazines taxed my self-control, but I managed.
With a quality IR laser/IR illumination, you can do pretty well shooting out to about 200 yards at known targets with Gen 1 NV. For instance, one of these:
Laser Systems - rifle scopes, handgun scopes, hunting scopes,Laser Sights by Burris Optics with a $200 to $500 Gen 1 NV monocular. I am able to shoot rifle targets on the range to 300 yards with this type of set-up, but it is in a berm setting on a closed range. Up close and personal, maybe good to 50 yards. Poor man's NV.
BUT, the ability to specifically identify targets with Gen 1 is very difficult. If you are in a blind hunting coyotes or pigs, heck the cheap stuff is not bad out to 100 yards or so...But the Laser Genetics type systems are better, have better ID and cost less. I made a 350 yard shot on a Coyote with one of these (
Night Vision, Green Lasers for Law Enforcement | Military | EMT | Laser Genetics). They are however visible to humans.
To goof around and shoot known targets, sure. To hunt, probably not the best, but passable. For defensive purposes, you got to spend the $.
